1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus capable of controlling the security of internal data of an exchangeable part that can be attached and detached to and from the main body of the apparatus, and a control method.
2. Discussion of the Background
In recent years image forming apparatuses are connected to a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN) such as the Internet. Thus, various image forming apparatuses such as a copier machine, a scanner and a printer are more likely to be connected to each other through a network. In this environment, it is proposed that print data designated for security protection be guarded by encrypting transmitted data output by a host PC, decoding ciphered print data and printing out the decoded data based on an ID number input by a user for a print request. A system and method for providing this security feature is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Application NO. 2002-236571. However, the present inventor has recognized problems with the system of this application.
First, the process of encrypting or decrypting during data communication requires extra steps for performing such encrypting and decrypting. As a result, there was a problem in that the processing time for performing a print operation, for example, became long.
In addition, for example, in an image forming apparatus such as a copier machine forming images by electro-photographic processes, a part such as a photoreceptor or a toner cartridge is provided as an exchangeable part in the form of a process cartridge. Necessary and/or useful information for the image forming process may be stored in a memory loaded in the process cartridge. Such necessary information may also be stored in a removable hard drive device (HDD) attached to the image forming apparatus.
In such an image forming apparatus, a memory device provided in a user's exchangeable part such as a HDD or a process cartridge may store data in need of security such as a user's personal data. When the exchangeable part is detached from the main body of the apparatus, there is a danger that unauthorized copying of data or falsification of data is easily done by a third person. Prior art encryption techniques have not addressed this problem.